A dramatic truck accident unfolded on the N10 at Olifantskop Pass between Cookhouse and Paterson on Monday afternoon. A Freightliner truck, which was reportedly carrying a load of lucerne, crashed after losing control on a curve, leading to a harrowing rescue.
According to a truck driver who witnessed the crash, the incident began when the Freightliner appeared behind him, seemingly speeding out of control. “It came up fast behind me, and I could see something was wrong,” he recounted. “It overtook me just before a sharp curve, and then it happened – it lost control and veered off the road, and fell into the gorge.”
Without wasting a second, the witness, alongside another trucker, rushed to the aid of the stricken driver. As they worked to pull him from the twisted wreckage, the situation took a dire turn. The truck ignited, and the lucerne it was transporting instantly caught fire, engulfing the vehicle in flames.
Read | Truck Driver Dies After Jumping Off Runaway Truck on N10
“It was chaos,” the witness said. “We managed to get the driver out just in time. As soon as we pulled him clear, the whole truck went up in flames.”
Thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of the two rescuers, the driver was saved from what could have been a deadly inferno. Emergency services arrived shortly after to extinguish the blaze, but the truck was completely destroyed.
At this stage, the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Motorists are advised to drive carefully in the area as recovery and cleanup efforts continue.
